Goals and Objectives Geographical Scope and Primary Beneficiaries

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1.0 Introduction

In September 2009, USAIDGhana and Coastal Resources Center CRC of University of Rhode Island URI, USA signed a cooperative agreement No. 641-A-00-09-00036-00 for the implementation of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance ICFG Program in the Western Region of Ghana. It was planned for a 4-year period September 4, 2009 to September 14, 2013 with an estimated funding of US10 million with match funding support of US 2.5 million provided by the implementing partners. Due to some important national events in 2012, a number of engagements at the national level had to be delayed occasioning a request for a four-month no-cost extension. The ICFG Program officially closed on January 14, 2014.

1.1 Goals and Objectives

The ICFG Initiative locally known as “Hɛn Mpoano” was framed to support the government of Ghana in achieving its development objectives of poverty reduction, food security, sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation. The Initiative fits into the USAID strategic objectives as detailed in the results framework - Figure 1. The central objective of the ICFG Initiative was to assemble the pre-conditions Result 1 - 1st Order Outcomes for a formally constituted coastal and fisheries governance program that could serve as a model for the nation. The preconditions to be assembled are as follows: • Clear Goals that define ICM and fisheries policies. • Strengthened institutional Capacity to develop and implement policies. • Informed Constituencies in civil society, business and government. • Governmental Commitment in support of policies. The program was designed to work across two scales – local scale community and district level, bottom-up approach where issues profiled provided the basis for national level engagements for policy decisions for effective and efficient nested coastal and fisheries governance. The Initiative’s activities focused on the six coastal districts assemblies Shama, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ahanta West, Nzema East, Ellembelle, Jomoro of the Western Region, Figure 3, to build popular support for new approaches to coastal and fisheries governance. Monitoring progress of how the ICFG program fared through the Life of Program LoP is captured under the Performance Monitoring Results Section 6.0 - Custom Indicator 1. The process followed the steps in the learning or policy cycle Figure 20 and at the end of the 4 years, the Program was adjudged through self-assessment by the ICFG team to be at Step 3 on the cycle.

1.2 Geographical Scope and Primary Beneficiaries

The primary clients and beneficiaries within the Western Region were the Western Regional Coordinating Council WRCC, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fisheries Commission, the six coastal Districts and their communities traditional authorities within the focal area. Due to the integrated nature of the project, no one national agency was designated as the key counterpart. However, the Program was anchored in the WRCC with the Chief Director serving as the Chairman of the nine-member Advisory Council. 2 Project Goal Support the government of Ghana in achieving its development objectives of poverty reduction, food security, sustainable management and conservation by contributing to the following vision: Ghana’s coastal ecosystems are being developed and conserved in a sustainable and equitable manner: the goods and services produced by sound coastal governance and improved fisheries management are generating a diversity of long-term socio- economic benefits for coastal communities while sustaining biodiversity. Result 1 1 st Order Outcomes Enabling conditions capacity, constituencies, commitment, goals for a fresh and integrating approach to coastal and fisheries governance in the Western Region and at the national and regional scales are assembled. Result 2 2 nd Order Outcomes Changes in behavior at local, regional and national level are setting the stage for generating benefits. Result 3 2 nd order outcomes Changes in behavior at the local, national and regional levels are supporting the ecosystem approach to coastal and fisheries planning and decision- making and more sustainable forms of coastal resource use. USAID Program Objectives Feed the Future • Increased Competitiveness of Major Food Value Chains IR1 • Improved Resiliency of Vulnerable Households Communities IR2 Biodiversity Conservation Figure 1: ICFG Results Framework in relation to USAID Program Objectives 3 Figure 2: Steps in the Learning or Policy Cycle Numerous civil society groups were also beneficiaries of the ICFG Initiative. They included the Platform of Coastal Communities PCC, Fisheries Alliance, Western Region Development Network of NGOs WERENGO, Ghana National Canoe Fishermen’s Council GNCFC, DAASGIFT Quality Foundation and Central and Western Fishmongers Improvement Association CEWEFIA - a women’s empowerment group, among others.

1.3 Implementing Mechanism and Partnerships